Scraper with segmented wiper lips

ABSTRACT

Cosmetic scraper  1  for scraping a cosmetic applicator with a tubular scraping body  2  which forms a passage  5  for the cosmetic applicator for attaching the scraper  1  to the cosmetic storage container. The scraping body  2  has a wiper lip  3  which extends radially inward and completely or partially obstructs the passage. The wiper lip  3  comprises several wiper lip segments  7  that are designed so that the flanks  8  of the adjacent wiper lip segments  7  overlap one another as seen in the circumferential direction.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention refers to a scraper.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In general, cosmetic scrapers are to a certain extent required to meet contradictory demands.

On the one hand, the scraper has to fit close to the stick of the applicator with not insignificant pre-tension so that it can be wiped off cleanly. On the other hand, the scraper must not wipe off the bristles too rigorously as otherwise insufficient cosmetic mass will remain in the bristles to enable an effective application which saves the user from having to immerse the cosmetic applicator several times into the cosmetic mass. Moreover, wiping off rigorously, weakens the bristles prematurely and they more or less become bent. This bending occurs when the “Bend Recovery” ability of the bristles no longer functions and the bristles do not fully straighten up again after passing through the scraper.

Hence, a scraper with a wiper lip is required which despite its fitting “close” to the stick is nevertheless pliable enough to expand sufficiently under the influence of the reaction forces that the bristles exert on it when passing through the scraper.

Generally, this behaviour can be achieved by using either a soft or rubber-elastic wiper lip or at least an extremely thin wiper lip.

In both cases, however, there is a risk that the wiper lip begins to bend back/down under the influence of the reaction forces of the bristles which in turn impairs its function.

The idea of designing an extremely thin wiper lip and giving it an undulating shape has been considered, in other words the shape of a circular, funnel-shaped wave element that has troughs and crests of the wave as seen in the circumferential direction as illustrated in FIG. 1. It stands to reason that a wiper lip designed in this manner can be easily expanded due to its thin wall thickness, yet on the other hand it is not at a risk of becoming bent as a result of slight pressure because due to its corrugation it shows increased bending stiffness as is common for example with corrugated cardboard.

However, it has been proven that a wiper lip of this kind becomes easily damaged and thus loses its intended function: As soon as the thin-walled “wave structure” becomes bent for the first time, for instance because the cosmetic applicator was pulled out firmly at a slight angle or vertically under a certain degree of bending stress and was not pulled out correctly in the direction of its longitudinal axis, it permanently loses the stiffness that is essential for its correct functioning. It suffers in the same manner as corrugated cardboard that loses its stiffness immediately after becoming bent for the first time due to pressure.

For this reason, it is the object of the invention to create a scraper that has a flexible and yet robust wiper lip.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention, a cosmetic scraper for wiping a cosmetic applicator with a tubular scraping body which forms a passage for the cosmetic applicator which can be attached to a cosmetic storage container is proposed. The scraping body has a wiper lip which extends radially inward and completely or partially obstructs the passage in its non-deflected state. The wiper lip comprises several wiper lip segments that are designed so that the flanks of the adjacent wiper lips overlap one another as seen in the circumferential direction. Therefore, as seen in the direction of the scraper longitudinal axis there are areas in which parts of two immediately adjacent wiper lip segments lie one behind the other in the circumferential direction.

Due to the fact that the wiper lip segments stabilize one another where they overlap one another, i.e. are firmly bonded, interlocked, frictionally locked, the risk of the relevant wiper lip being bent back/down is nevertheless averted if the individual wiper lips are relatively thin. On the other hand, the wiper lip is more expandable due to the segmenting than a wiper lip that is composed of an annular or tapered ring-shaped plate or membrane unit.

The successive wiper lip elements in the circumferential direction therefore, preferably form a circular fan unit composed of overlapping “plates” which have their roots on their radial external narrow side directly at the tubular scraping body.

Preferably intended is that the wiper lip segments have two free main surfaces which as seen in the circumferential direction wind helically round the intended central longitudinal axis of the cosmetic scraper. The main surfaces here refer to the two surfaces which each itself has a significantly bigger surface than each one of the other free areas that adjoin the wiper lip segment. One can by all means speak of a significantly larger surface of a main surface when the relevant main surface is larger by the factor 5, better still by the factor 7.5 than every individual surface of the other free adjacent areas.

Such a helical design promotes the orderly folding over of the bristles when they encounter the wiper lip. The bristles are not simply bent over “roughly” in the direction opposite to the movement of the applicator, they also receive a motion component when folding over in the circumferential direction which minimizes the strain on the bristles. This is particularly of significance with regard to applicators with injection moulded bristles as these are more sensitive than bristles made from spun and stretched nylon filaments.

Furthermore, the main surfaces of the wiper lip segments are preferably aligned so that the main surfaces of the wiper lip segments form a surface which runs approximately vertical to the longitudinal axis L of the scraper. This is the case, when the local tangents of the main surface intersect the longitudinal axis at an angle that is not smaller than 60°. In this manner, the wiper lip segments that overlap one another form a sort of flat funnel which not only simplifies the reinsertion of the applicator into the cosmetic storage container but also improves the scraping effect. Ideally, the said angle is not smaller than 75°.

For practical purposes, the wall thickness of the wiper lip segments decreases vertically to the plane in which one of its main surfaces is located, from the radial outer end of the relevant wiper lip to the radial inner end of the wiper lip, preferably continuously and ideally by at least 20%. This influences the bending behaviour positively. Due to the fact that the wiper lip segments are thickest near their roots with which they merge into the scraping body, the risk of undesired bending back/down is reduced. Simultaneously, the end of each wiper lip segment that is free radially to protrude inward and which becomes thinner has enhanced flexibility.

It is advantageous when the wall thickness of the scraping base body (measured in radial direction vertical to its longitudinal axis) increases from its end facing away from the wiper lip to the end facing the wiper lip—preferably by at least 10%.

For practical purposes, the scraping body has a number of locking lugs at its outer circumference for connecting to the cosmetic storage container. As seen in the circumferential direction these are positioned where two adjacent wiper lips overlap one another. In this manner, the applicator body is well secured against pulling out exactly at that point where comparatively high forces occur at the wiper lip segments in the direction of the longitudinal axis.

It is particularly preferable if the complete wiper lip is composed of three or even better four wiper lip segments. It may also be composed of five or six wiper lip segments. In this manner, the wiper lip segments are not supported at too close distances so that they can exploit their own flexibility to a higher degree. More than 6 wiper lip segments is not advisable.

As part of a preferred construction, it is intended that two wiper lips that overlap one another near their overlapping flanks be connected to one another in one piece by a section and can thus stabilize one another by being firmly bonded. A section in the sense of the invention is considered to be a section which the wiper lip segments form by making a kink.

A section in the sense of the invention is preferably a section that has its two own main surfaces, each of which is significantly larger than its free adjacent surface, preferably by at least the factor 5. The two free main surfaces of the section are essentially aligned vertically to the directly adjacent main surfaces of the wiper lip segments which it connects to one another. An alignment “essentially vertical to one another” is given, when the main surfaces of the section are arranged at an angle of 90°+/−25° relative to the main surfaces of the wiper lip segments. Ideal is an arrangement of 90°+/−5°. In this manner a “concertina shaped” structure is formed in the broadest sense as seen in the -circumferential direction. This concertina shaped structure can expand relatively easily without the risk of the structure unintentionally being bent back/down.

Preferably the wall thickness of the section which is vertical to the planes in which its main surfaces are located, corresponds essentially with the wall thickness of the wiper lip segments which the same show at their radial inner end, vertical to the plane in which one of its main surfaces is located. The section thus develops its supporting effect solely because of its geometry and not as a result of its accumulation of material.

The extent of the section in the direction parallel to the central longitudinal axis of the cosmetic scraper should be preferably at least twice and ideally even three times greater than its extent in the circumferential direction. In this manner, the section forms a relatively rigid, local supporting structure which reliably prevents the bending over.

As part of an alternative construction of the invention it is intended that the adjacent wiper lip segments which overlap one another fit close to their free main surfaces in the area of their overlapping without directly being connected to one another. With this construction, the wiper lip segments stabilize one another, i.e. are frictionally locked and interlocked. If correctly designed, this can also reliably prevent the bending back/down.

The length over which the free main surfaces of adjacent wiper lip segments overlap one another is preferably greater by at least the factor 2, even better by at least the factor 2.5 than the wall thickness of the wiper lip segments at their radial inner end.

For the most part, the scraping body and its wiper lips formed from the wiper lip segments are composed of one element. They are usually manufactured by an injection moulding process.

For specific applications, it is particularly advantageous to manufacture the wiper lips that are formed from the wiper lip segments from a different plastic, preferably from a soft or rubber-elastic plastic. This other, latter plastic is injected moulded to the pre-produced scraping base body and thus welded on to it as one piece.

As part of an especially preferable construction, it is intended to vulcanize the scraper fully from NBR or to vulcanize the wiper lips to a correspondingly temperature-stable scraping base body. The advantages of the invented scraper are particularly significant especially when (only) the wiper lip is made of NBR: The individual wiper lip segments are themselves extremely pliable as they are “rubber-elastic”. They can therefore be stretched so that the bristles of the applicator can find their way without great effort. Due to the invented type of wiper lips which stabilize one another, bending back/down however is avoided, this however would present a big problem were NBR or other types of rubber materials to be used. Preferably only the wiper lip is manufactured from NBR and vulcanized to a reliable pre-formed scraper base body that is manufactured from a material that is not rubber-elastic.

The invented scraper described above can exploit its advantages particularly well when it is used in a cosmetic unit comprising a cosmetic applicator with injection moulded bristles and a cosmetic storage container.

A claim is also made to protection of use—for the use of wiper lips, each of which is designed thin enough so that it alone is unable to resist bending back/down whereby the overlapping of the flanks in the circumferential direction of adjacent wiper lips is used to ensure that the wiper lips prevent one another from bending back/down.

Further effects, advantages and design possibilities emerge from the design examples of the invention which are explained below according to the figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a scraper prior to the invention that is not in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates a side view of an initial execution example of a scraper in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 3 illustrates a side view in the form of a central longitudinal axis of the scraper shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 illustrates the scraper according to FIG. 2 viewed from below.

FIG. 5 illustrates a sectional enlargement from FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 illustrates a side view of a second execution example of a scraper in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 7 illustrates a side view in the form of a central longitudinal section of the scraper shown in FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 illustrates the scraper according to FIG. 6 viewed from below.

FIG. 9 illustrates a sectional enlargement from FIG. 7.

FIG. 10 illustrates the preferable concertina-shaped behaviour in the form of a drawing and clearly exaggerated which the sections show under stress when the wiper lips are stretched.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

As already mentioned, FIG. 1 illustrates a construction at the beginning of internal development which however is not in accordance with the invention. The said FIG. 1 illustrates a cosmetic container that comprises a tubular scraping body and a wiper lip (one piece) that is attached to it. The wiper lip as seen in the circumferential direction (i.e. along the arrow U) forms a unit in itself. The wiper lip is comparatively thin. However, it shows an undulating shape in the circumferential direction. This prevents the thin wiper lip from bending upward or inward when subject to force applied in the direction of the arrow P1.

The FIGS. 2 to 5 illustrate a first execution example of the invention.

The cosmetic scraper 1 comprises a scraping body 2, which carries a wiper lip. The scraping body 3 is equipped preferably with a collar 4 at its first end facing away from the wiper lip with which it contacts the face of a container neck that is not illustrated. The scraping body 3 has, in the case in question, the shape of a circular tube which forms an internal passage 5 through which an applicator with bristles can be pulled out of the cosmetic storage container. The scraping body, however can have a polygon-shaped cross-section, notwithstanding the fact that a circular cross-section is preferred as it prevents an inhomogeneous wiping result.

As can be seen best from FIG. 3, the wall thickness of the applicator body in the direction of its end facing away from the wiper lip to its end facing the wiper lip increases—except for the only local increased diameter due to the collar 4. Clearly visible are the local locking lugs 12 with which the scraping base body is equipped close to the wiper lip and which ensure that it fits firmly in the neck of the cosmetic storage container.

In the area near the second end or directly at its second end, the scraping body 2 is equipped with a wiper lip 3. In the case in question, the scraping body 2 forms the wiper lip 3 as one piece and comprising preferably only one material.

The wiper lip 3 partially blocks the passage 5 which can be recognized best in FIG. 4. In the middle the wiper lip 3 leaves an unobstructed space 6. The maximum diameter Dmax of this free space is somewhat smaller than the maximum diameter of the applicator stick (not shown here) that connects the bristles with the cap of the cosmetic storage container which is used for gripping.

The special feature of this cosmetic scraper is the special design of its wiper lip 3. The wiper lip 3 is divided into several wiper lip segments 7. Each of the wiper lip segments 7 has the shape of an annular ring section which is connected at its outer circumference as one piece directly to the scraping body 2 and which furthermore has two free lateral flanks 8 in the circumferential direction as well as a free inner circumference 9, compare FIG. 4.

Each wiper lip segment 7 has a plate-like design, i.e. it has two free main surfaces 10, each of which has a significantly larger surface than each one of the other free surfaces adjoining the wiper lip segment.

The special feature of the wiper lip segments 7 according to the invention is that their main surfaces 10 are helical in the circumferential direction. In this manner, it is possible that two adjacent wiper lip segments overlap one another in a scale-like fashion at their free lateral flanks 8 in the circumferential direction as their free flanks 8 come to rest successively as seen in the direction of the longitudinal axis L. Normally, this overlapping results in the wiper lip segments 7 touching one another at their main surfaces even in their non-deflected state, i.e. when a cosmetic applicator is not used.

At the same time it is preferable that the wiper lip segments 7 show the shape of a circular segment in their projection along the longitudinal axis L, compare FIGS. 4 and 8.

Preferably, the main surfaces 10 as seen in the radial direction also include an acute angle cc with the longitudinal axis of the scraper.

As can be seen best in FIG. 5, the wiper lip elements have a wall thickness W measured in the direction of their local normals on their main surface. Two adjacent wiper lip elements overlap one another over a length OVL.

The characteristics created by the wiper lip segments depends on how far the two adjacent wiper lip segments overlap one another and can be set by the engineer depending on the wall thickness of the wiper lip segments. A favourable result is usually achieved when the length for OVL on which the wiper lip segments overlap one another and the wall thickness W of the wiper lip elements at their radial inner end=2W≦OVL≦3W.

The FIGS. 6 to 10 illustrate a second execution example of the invention. This second execution example corresponds to a great extent with the first execution example described above so that what has already been said also applies correspondingly to this second execution example—unless otherwise indicated in the following explicitly described differences that the second execution example has compared to the first execution example.

The wiper lip segments of the second execution example are designed in exactly the same manner as those of the first execution example. They too overlap one another, however not as far as those of the first execution example. Instead, they are connected to one another with a section 13 in the area where they overlap one another so that the wiper lip segments which overlap one another stabilize one another by being material bonded and are neither form-closed nor frictionally locked. As one can see best in FIG. 9 the section has two main surfaces 14 and vertically a wall thickness WS, whereas the extent of the section in the direction of the longitudinal axis is given the dimension LS, compare FIG. 10.

It is easily recognizable that the wall thickness WS of the section essentially corresponds with the wall thickness W at the radial inner end of the two wiper lip segments that overlap one another.

It is also clearly visible that the extent LS of the section in the direction parallel to the longitudinal axis L of the applicator is at least three times larger than the wall thickness WS of the section.

Finally, it can also be seen clearly that the main surfaces 14 of the section are essentially vertical to the main surfaces 10 of the wiper lip segments that are connected by the section and that the main surfaces 14 of the section form the main surfaces of the wiper lip segments by making a kink.

Thanks to this design, each of the preferably three, four, five or in total six sections have the following function:

Each section behaves in relation to the forces that attempt to bend back/down the wiper lip segments like an upright standing (vertical) bending member bent round its narrow side and thus develops a distinct supporting effect that reliably prevents undesired bending back/down—even when the walls of the wiper lip segments are comparatively thin.

On the other hand, the sections allow a certain “concertina effect” as they are sufficiently flexible to offer resistance at least close to their radial innermost end and thus alleviate the expansion of the wiper at its inner circumference—under the influence of the forces applied by the applicator passing through the wiper, compare FIG. 10.

Finally, it should be noted that protection is claimed for a wiper independently whose wiper lip in the circumferential direction forms a complete unit and in the circumferential direction shows a concertina-shaped structure of plate-shaped wiper lip segments and same showing connecting sections, whereby the main surfaces of the wiper lip segments and the sections are aligned essentially vertical to one another.

Further features mentioned in the description may be added to this claim. 

1. A cosmetic scraper for scraping a cosmetic applicator, comprising: a tubular scraping body that forms a passage for the cosmetic applicator and attaches the scraper to a cosmetic storage container, wherein the scraping body has a radially-inward stretching wiper lip that fully or partially obstructs the passage, and the wiper lip comprises a plurality of wiper lip segments, which are designed so that flanks of adjacent wiper lip segments, as seen in a circumferential direction, overlap one another.
 2. The cosmetic scraper according to claim 1, wherein the wiper lip segments have two free main surfaces, which—as seen in a circumferential direction—wind helically round an intended central longitudinal axis of the cosmetic scraper, and the wiper lip segments in their projection along the longitudinal axis have the form of a circular segment.
 3. The cosmetic scraper according to claim 1, wherein the wiper lip segments have two free main surfaces which—as seen in a radial direction—have an acute angle (α) relative to the central longitudinal axis of the cosmetic scraper, which is not smaller than 60°.
 4. The cosmetic scraper according to claim 1, wherein a wall thickness of the wiper lip segments vertical to a plane in which one of their main surfaces lies, is reduced continuously from a radial outer end of a corresponding wiper lip to a radial inner end of the wiper lip.
 5. The cosmetic scraper according to claim 1, wherein a wall thickness of the scraper base scraping body, measured in a radial direction, increases vertical to its longitudinal axis from its end facing away from the wiper lip to its end facing the wiper lip, by at least 10%.
 6. The cosmetic scraper according to claim 1, wherein the scraper base scraping body has a plurality of locking lugs at its outer circumference for connecting to the cosmetic storage container, which as seen in a circumferential direction are positioned where two adjacent wiper lip segments overlap one another.
 7. The cosmetic scraper according to claim 1, wherein the complete wiper lip is composed of three to six wiper lip segments.
 8. The cosmetic scraper according to claim 1, wherein two wiper lip segments which overlap one another are connected as one piece by a section near their flanks which overlap one another.
 9. The cosmetic scraper according to claim 8, wherein two free main surfaces of the section are aligned essentially vertically to two main surfaces of each of the two wiper lip segments that are connected by the section.
 10. The cosmetic scraper according to claim 9, wherein a wall thickness of the section vertical to the plane in which one of its main surfaces lies, corresponds essentially with a wall thickness of the wiper lip segment at its radial inner end vertical to the plane in which one of its main surfaces lies.
 11. The cosmetic scraper according to claim 8, wherein an extent of the section in a direction parallel to a central longitudinal axis of the cosmetic scraper is at least twice as big as a wall thickness of every single wiper lip segment connected by the section.
 12. The cosmetic scraper according to claim 1, wherein adjacent wiper lip segments which overlap one another fit close to one another where they overlap one another with their free main surfaces without being connected to one another as one piece.
 13. The cosmetic scraper according to claim 12, wherein a length over which the free main surfaces of adjacent wiper lip segments overlap one another, is greater at least by the factor 2, than the a wall thickness of the wiper lip segments.
 14. The cosmetic scraper according to claim 1, wherein the scraping body and its wiper lip formed from the wiper lip segments consist preferably of an injection moulded piece.
 15. The cosmetic scraper according to claim 1, wherein the wiper lip formed from the wiper lip segments is made from a different plastic, namely a soft or rubber-elastic plastic, than the scraping body and is welded to the scraping body in one piece by injection moulding.
 16. The cosmetic scraper according to claim 1, wherein the entire cosmetic scraper is made from a rubber-elastic, vulcanized material or the wiper lip is made from a rubber-elastic material which is vulcanized to a scraper base body.
 17. The cosmetic scraper according to claim 8, wherein the wiper lip of the cosmetic scraper forms a unit in a circumferential direction and has a concertina shaped structure of plate-shaped wiper lip segments and the concertina-shaped structure of plate-shaped wiper lip segments has connecting sections wherein main surfaces of the wiper lip segments and main surfaces of the sections are aligned essentially vertical to one another.
 18. A cosmetic unit, comprising a cosmetic applicator with injection moulded bristles, a cosmetic storage container and a cosmetic scraper according to claim
 1. 